SUMMARY OF MOTORBIKE TRIP

HIGHLIGHTS:

-Flight to US - upgraded to top floor of a jumbo jet (Mark only).

-Meeting lots of friendly and helpful Americans, especially in the inland states.

-Getting drenched by Niagara Falls, standing on the Hurricane Platform.

-Evening in Berlin (OH) - meeting the Amish community, outdoor concert by the Amish band (The Soaring Eagles), and watching the horse-drawn buggies.

-The endless twists and turns through West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and eastern Tennessee; and later, California.

-Chatting to other motorbikes, including Dean from Australia at Fancy Gap Cabins; Rich, Mike, and Paul at Hunts Lodge Motorcycle Campsite (Tellico Plains); and various people at the Tail of the Dragon.

-Viewing the Solar Eclipse at Tellico Plains.

-Santa Fe (Mexican style adobe architecture and the Burning of Zozabar), visiting the cave dwellings at Bandolier National Monument, and the riding through New Mexico (which we knew nothing about beforehand).

-Off-road adventures (the very rocky ride up to the waterfall near Great Sand Dunes NP, having been told by the Ranger that it was fine for motorbikes, followed by a wade through the river to view the actual waterfall; the two hour off-road ride through the dramatic and remote scenery of Phantom Canyon, near Cripple Creek.

-Stopping for a break and chatting to the owner on the porch at Bedrock Store, in the middle of nowhere (Colorado).

-Silverton (arriving at the same time the steam train chugged into the high street; lunch at the Wild West hotel, accompanied by the honky to my piano player).

-Rocky Mountain National Park - Cub Lake walks, viewing the elk, and Estes Park town.

-Riding through Yellowstone and Grand Tetons NPs. Buffalo in Yellowstone.

-Monster trucks at Red Bluff.

-Watching the sea lions at Pier 39 and kayaking amongst the sea lions and sea otters in Morro Bay (and getting splashed by a mischievous sea lion).

LOWS:

-Mark's puncture on Route 50 (America's Loneliest Highway), and particularly the bike getting blown over by a passing RV.

-A few cold, wet rides in Wyoming.

-Not seeing a moose or a bear (Mark saw one), despite numerous warnings about bears in the area.

-LAX airport and traffic in LA.

OTHER MEMORIES:

-Having to convince US Customs that we didn't need to pay $600 each for a Temporary Import Bond to release the bikes at Washington Dulles Airport. Unpacking the bikes in 31 degrees heat.

-Roadworks everywhere, and pilot cars to take you through long stretches of single lane.

-The fact that we didn't get stopped for speeding (but see below).

-How fast everyone else drove everywhere, at least 15mph over the limit.

-Pumpkin patches everywhere in October.

-Having to pre-pay for petrol and guess how much you need everytime.

-The lack of variety in the food available - basically burgers (of various sorts), fried chicken, ribs or steak, pizza, or Mexican.

-Massive hurricanes (Harvey in Texas, Irma in Florida) in other parts of the US.

-Driving through the smoky atmosphere caused by the wildfires in Northern California, and meeting people who had been evacuated in the night.

-Racing back to the campsite in Moab with lightning on all sides.

-Locking ourselves out of our cabin in Moab in middle of a massive downpour.

-The derelict and deserted downtown area in Pine Bluff (AR), and elsewhere. Many medium-sized towns are like doughnuts, with chain stores around the edge and an empty middle.

-Four new batteries for the Triumph (two drained by the bike, reason unknown, one dropped while being fitted, one drained by heated hand grips being left on). One oil change for the Suzuki (after we topped it up with the wrong oil, bit needed it anyway). Oil change and new chain for the Triumph (standard service requirement). Five new tyres.

-Also had to buy new boots and gloves for Mark (after old ones broke), inner gloves to try and keep warm in Wyoming, and new waterproof trousers for Jane (after pannier lid was left open and they got blown out on the way into Memphis).

-Breakfast at Denny's arriving on multiple small plates as they had run out of standard size ones.

MEMORABLE QUOTES:

-"Do you have wi-fi", at the Amish b&b.

-"I can actual see why there might be a need for transport planners here", in Washington DC.

-"You walked!", after walking two miles back to the campsite from Tellico Plains. "You could have parked closer" - truck driver who pulled over when he saw us walking two miles into Tellico Plains on eclipse day.

-"What are those yellow tags on your bikes?", referring to our number plates.

-"The worst combination you can have is a women and a motorbike ... but obviously not you", a Harley rider in Carson City talking about his mother selling his dad's bike.

DISTANCE TRAVELLED::

-Approx. 9,000 motorbike miles (9,462 miles recorded on odometer, but known to over read).
-Plus 500 car miles around Yellowstone.

STATES VISITED:

-District of Columbia (Washington DC)
-Maryland (very briefly)
-Pennsylvania
-New York
-Ohio
-West Virginia
-Virginia
-North Carolina
-Tennessee
-Arkansas
-Oklahoma
-Texas
-New Mexico
-Colorado
-Utah
-Wyoming
-Montana (very edge)
-Nevada
-California

NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS VISITED:

-Shenandoah National Park
-Bandolier National Monument
-Great Sand Dunes National Park
-Arches National Park
-Colorado National Monument
-Rocky Mountain National Park
-Yellowstone National Park
-Grand Tetons National Park
-Lassen Volcanic National Park
-Joshua Tree National Park

TOP 15 US MOTORCYCLE ROADS RIDDEN:

-Blue Ridge Parkway
-US Route 129, The Tail of the Dragon *
-Million Dollar Highway *
-California Route 1, Pacific Coast Highway *
-Cherohala Skyway *
-California Route 36 *
-California Route 2, Angeles Crest Highway *
-Natchez Trace (part)
-US Route 33, Harrisonburg (VA) to Seneca Rocks (VA) *
-California Route 58

-Planned to do Beartooth Highway (WY), but it was closed due to snow

*Our favourites.